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National Association of Young People in Care
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what is his policy with regard to the recognition of the National Association of Young People in Care as a representative body ; (2) what steps he is taking to offer financial support to the National Association of Young People in Care.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : The association is one of a range of voluntary organisations which is routinely consulted on policy and practice developments. The association has submitted an application for funding in the current financial year. A meeting to discuss this was held with representatives of National Association of Young People in Care on 9 May when further information was sought about their proposed new structure. A final decision about funding will be made shortly.
Chernobyl Nuclear Accident
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representation Her Majesty's Government had at the conference hosted by the International Atomic Energy Agency between 21 to 24 May in Vienna, on the IAEA international advisory committee report on the consequences of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear accident ; whether any United Kingdom Government scientists were involved in the study ; and what study has been made of the report in regard to the applicability of its conclusions and recommendations to the United Kingdom.
Mr. Dorrell : Participants at the conference comprised a number of people from the United Kingdom, including a doctor from the Department of Health and a scientist from the National Radiological Protection Board. Both attended in their capacity as members of the International Advisory Committee--IAC--whose membership was drawn from independent scientists and organisations with an interest in radiological protection and epidemiology. Also in attendance was an observer from the nuclear installations inspectorate.
The Government are currently considering the report from the IAC and will take account of any factors which may be relevant to the position in the United Kingdom.
NHS Complaints Procedure
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether patients attending private consultants' clinics at general pracitioner fundholders' premises will be entitled to use national health service complaints procedures ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Dorrell [holding answer 23 May 1991] : Where the services of a consultant are purchased for the patient of a fundholding practice out of the practice fund and the consultant is acting in a private capacity, a complaint against the referring doctor may be pursued under the Naitonal Health Service (Service Committees and Tribunal) Regulations 1974. If in these circumstances the patient wishes to pursue a complaint against the consultant, he would need to do so, if there was no possibility of conciliation directly with the consultant, either through the General Medical Council or the legal process depending on the nature of the complaint. Private care can of course be purchased for NHS patients by any commissioner of care, whether a district health authority or a GP fundholder.
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HIV Tests
Mr. Strang : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what were the cumulative totals of positive HIV antibody test results reported by each health authority on (a) 31 March 1989, (b) 30 September 1989, (c) 31 March 1990, (d) 30 September 1990 and (e) 31 March 1991.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : The information available to the Department on the cumulative totals of positive HIV antibody test results reported by each health authority is given in the tables.
United Kingdom HIV antibody
positive persons reported by region
for England, Wales, Northern
Ireland and Scotland
Cumulative totals up to end of
March 1989
|Total
|reports
------------------------------------
England
Northern |286
Yorkshire |<1>311
Trent |248
East Anglia |<1>160
North West Thames |2,827
North East Thames |1,764
South East Thames |917
South West Thames |268
Wessex |234
Oxford |<1>332
South Western |237
West Midlands |353
Mersey |154
North Western |348
Channel Isles |20
Wales |124
Northern Ireland |55
Scotland |1,621
United Kingdom HIV antibody
positive persons reported by region
Cumulative totals up to end of
September 1989
|Total
|reports
------------------------------------
England
Northern |305
Yorkshire |323
Trent |283
East Anglia |171
North West Thames |3,089
North East Thames |2,048
South East Thames |979
South West Thames |303
Wessex |251
Oxford |349
South Western |259
West Midlands |375
Mersey |162
North Western |388
Channel Isles |20
Wales |144
Northern Ireland |62
Scotland |1,707
United Kingdom antibody positive
persons reported by region
Cumulative totals up to end of
March 1990
|Total
|reports
------------------------------------
England
Northern |333
Yorkshire |356
Trent |359
East Anglia |188
North West Thames |4,073
North East Thames |2,263
South East Thames |1,434
South West Thames |337
Wessex |291
Oxford |365
South Western |278
West Midlands |414
Mersey |177
North Western |747
Channel Islands |23
Wales |157
Northern Ireland |68
Scotland |1,768
United Kingdom HIV antibody
positive persons reported by region
Cumulative totals up to end of
September 1990
|Total
|reports
------------------------------------
England
Northern |348
Yorkshire |384
Trent |378
East Anglia |197
North West Thames |4,497
North East Thames |2,505
South East Thames |1,592
South West Thames |385
Wessex |307
Oxford |384
South Western |298
West Midlands |479
Mersey |182
North Western |670
Channel Islands |24
Wales |176
Northern Ireland |77
Scotland |1,840
Country and region |Cumulative
of 1st report |total
|Cases
-----------------------------------------------------------
England
Northern |354
Yorkshire |397
Trent |396
East Anglia |204
North West Thames |4,621
North East Thames |2,569
South East Thames |1,681
South West Thames |434
Wessex |328
Oxford |403
South Western |329
West Midlands |510
Mersey |185
North Western |696
Wales |229
Northern Ireland |82
Scotland |1,919
|-------
United Kingdom total |15,337
Channel Isles
Isle of Man |29
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WALES
Extra-contractual Referrals
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what percentage of Welsh health authorities' current budgets are allocated for extra-contractual referrals.
(2) what is the estimated expenditure by the Welsh health authorities on extra-contractual referrals in April and May ; and how it relates to the budget set aside by those authorities for such referrals.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : Health authorities have made provision in their budgets for the cost of anticipated extra-contractual referrals-- ECRs. The amounts in each case depend on the expected pattern of referrals and the extent to which these have been covered by contracts. Not all authorities have reached final agreements on contracts and which services will be provided "off contract". It is therefore not possible to provide the information in the form requested at present. Authorities have been asked to give details of ECRs for the first two months of this year and to indicate whether or not their provision is adequate to meet the actual demand assessed on this basis. I shall write to the hon. Gentleman when this information is available.
A465
Mr. Roy Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects all outstanding statutory procedures on the planned A465 Glynneath- Aberdulais improvement to be completed.
Sir Wyn Roberts : Provided the outstanding issues in the inspector's report of the public inquiry can be satisfactorily resolved, statutory procedures could be completed later this year.
Mr. Roy Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the nature of the problem which has caused extended statutory procedures on the planned A465 Glynneath-Aberdulais improvement.
Sir Wyn Roberts : The inspector who held the public inquiry into the scheme recommended significant alterations which have required further investigation and consultation with a number of interests.
Ophthalmology
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what policy considerations led to his decision to set up a second ophthalmology treatment centre in Wales.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : The additional treatment centre intended for Bridgend is proposed as a result of the large ophthalmology waiting lists. The centre will provide an accessible and cost effective means of reducing the lists in south and west Wales.
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had (a) with the Royal College of
Ophthalmologists and (b) with local consultant ophthalmologists in Wales concerning medical follow-up responsibilities for patients on the ophthalmology waiting lists receiving eye surgery at the existing Bangor and proposed Bridgend treatment centres.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : Our officials discussed follow-up and other procedures with the Royal College of
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Ophthalmologists prior to establishing the Bangor centre. Patients attend two follow-up consultations arranged with the centre in line with the guidelines of the royal college.Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what account he took of the recommendations of the Royal College of Ophthalmology on staffing requirements per 100,000 people, prior to his decision on a second ophthalmology treatment centre in Wales.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : The decision to establish a second ophthalmic treatment centre was taken following consideration of the particular waiting times in this speciality and local circumstances and opportunities. Detailed staffing requirements will be settled in discussion with the host authority.
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what length of contract will be offered to consultants to be employed in the ophthalmology treatment centre to be opened in Bridgend ; and how many consultants will be employed.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : Staffing levels for the new ophthalmology treatment centre, Bridgend are currently under discussion with the host district health authority. Individual contracts for staff at the centre will be the responsibility of Mid Glamorgan health authority.
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he now has to reduce waiting lists in ophthalmology and general surgery in the catchment area of South Glamorgan health authority.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : Bids for funds under the waiting times initiative for 1991-92 have been invited from all health authorities in Wales. South Glamorgan DHA is able to refer general surgery patients to the treatment centre at Bridgend and ophthalmology patients to the Bangor treatment centre and will also be able to refer patients to the new cataract centre when it becomes operational.
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations with ophthalmologists he undertook prior to making his decision on the setting up of a second ophthalmology treatment centre for Wales at Bridgend general hospital.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : The decision to establish a second ophthalmology treatment centre at Bridgend was taken after consideration of the waiting list position in ophthalmology in south Wales and local circumstances and opportunities.
Forestry Commission
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the reorganisation of the Forestry Commission in Wales.
Mr. David Hunt : The Government have endorsed the proposal by the forestry commissioners that they should carry out an internal reorganisation of the commission in order to achieve a clearer distinction between those staff concerned with its regulatory and advisory duties as a Government Department and those engaged in the management of its forests. The commissioners plan to implement this reorganisation by 1 April 1992.
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The forestry commissioners have decided that the headquarters' offices of the Forestry Authority and the Forestry Enterprise in Wales will remain in Aberystwyth. They are also proposing that the commission's forests in Wales should continue to be managed by the existing eight forest district offices, but that there should be three new local offices to administer the authority's functions. The details of the reorganisation are currently being discussed with staff representatives.Local Plans
Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what action he intends to take to ensure that local plans are prepared for (a) Alyn and Deeside district council, (b) Carmarthen district council, (c) Ceredigion district council, (d) Glyndwr district council, (e) Montgomeryshire district council, (f) Neath borough council, (g) Preach district council and (h) South Pembrokeshire district council.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : The preparation and adoption of local plans by planning authorities is not a statutory requirement. It is for each authority to decide which parts of their area should be covered by local plans. Planning policy guidance (PPG) note 12 of November 1988 and PPG15 (Wales) of October 1990 urged district planning authorities to extend and complete their local plan coverage. The Planning and Compensation Bill, which is currently before Parliament, includes a provision which will place a mandatory duty on each district council and each national park authority to prepare and adopt a single local plan covering the whole of its area.
British Rail (Meetings)
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the dates on which Ministers at the Welsh Office have met the chairman and other senior executives of British Rail during the past 18 months, noting the main issues raised at each such meeting.
Sir Wyn Roberts : My right hon. Friend or I met the chairman or other directors of British Rail on 10 May, 13 June and 28 November 1990 and on 8 February, 12 February and 13 May 1991. We discussed a wide range of issues concerning rail services for Wales.
Dentists (Patient Care)
Mr. Livsey : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many representations he has received from dentists in Wales since the implementation of the new contract on patient care ; and what were the main concerns expressed.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : The Department has received two representations from individual dentists about the new contract. The representations concerned the treatment of child patients in relation to the community dental service and alleged decline in gross income.
Old Schools
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many schools built wholly or mainly before 1903 there are in each of the local education authorities of Wales ; and what plans he has to rebuild them.
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Sir Wyn Roberts : Details of the ages of school buildings are not held centrally. Reponsibility for the provision, repair and maintenance of school buildings rests with local education authorities.
Education and Training
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the proportion of persons aged 16 years leaving full-time education or training in (a) 1989-90 and (b) 1990-91.
Sir Wyn Roberts : No information is collected centrally from the further education sector about 16-year-old leavers. The school leavers survey collects information about leavers from the school sector ; however 1989-90 information is not yet available and the survey for 1990-91 has yet to commence.
Alzheimer's Disease
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to meet leaders in Wales of the Alzheimer's Disease Society.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : The Department is in regular and close contact with the Wales development officer of the Alzheimer's Disease Society.
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what financial aid he gives to the Alzheimer's Disease Society.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : A total of £70,000 in 1991-92, including funding under the elderly initiative and the mental illness strategy and to support the work of the society's development officer in Wales.
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what research moneys he gives to the Alzheimer's Disease Society in Wales.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : No money is specifically earmarked to the Alzheimer's Disease Society for research. However, the Government are contributing towards a collaborative study led by the Institute of Human Ageing, Liverpool into the incidence of dementia. As part of this, some £30,000 each year is being provided for that part of the research being undertaken at University college of North Wales, Bangor.
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what help he proposes to give to carers concerning Alzheimer's disease in Wales.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : The Welsh Office-led all-Wales mental illness strategy and our comprehensive programme of action to develop social care more generally are intended to promote the development of services which provide care for those suffering from Alzheimer's disease, including appropriate support for families and friends who contribute to care. These initiatives are supported by record levels of resources, including £4.6 million in 1991-92 for the mental illness strategy--more than double last year's allocation ; and over £4 million under the elderly initiative, the new scheme to promote more flexible forms of community care for elderly people and those with sensory or physical disabilities, and in funding for voluntary organisations, including the Alzheimer's Disease Society.
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Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the number of sufferers from Alzheimer's disease in Wales.Mr. Nicholas Bennett : Based on an estimate derived from the NHS Health Advisory Service's publication "The Rising Tide--Developing Services for Mental Illness in Old Age" published in November 1982, a copy of which is in the Library of the House, there are approximately 28,000--9,500 males and 18,500 females--suffering from Alzheimer's disease in Wales.
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many carers of Alzheimer's disease sufferers there are in Wales.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : The precise number of carers is not known, but we recognise that many people contribute in different ways to the support of this group of vulnerable people.
Alder Hey Royal Children's Hospital
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will meet parents of children of Deeside, Clwyd, who are awaiting heart surgery or who are deemed likely to need surgery at Alder Hey royal children's hospital.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : I have no plans to intervene in contractual arrangements between health authorities in Wales and their chosen provider units.
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many children from (a) Clwyd, (b) Gwynedd and (c) Powys have had heart surgery performed at the Alder Hey royal children's hospital.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : Data provided by Mersey regional health authority show that no children from Clwyd, Gwynedd or Powys had surgical operations on the heart at Alder Hey royal children's hospital in 1989-90, the only year for which data are available. This information is based only on those cases where the hospital episode has finished, and complete clinical details are available.
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much money, as a down payment, health authorities in Wales are required to pay to the appropriate health authority, to which Alder Hey hospital answers, before operations are performed or before youngsters are placed on the waiting list.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : None. District health authorities strike contractual agreements, including with Alder Hey hospital, under which they agree to make regular payments for the care provided or make individual extra-contractual arrangements, mainly for emergency cases, which incur payment after treatment has been provided.
Dogs
Mr. Geraint Howells : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the number of all breeds of dogs in Wales ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : This information is not held centrally.
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Consultants
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many new consultants were appointed in 1989 to work at the treatment centres at (a) Ysbyty Gwynedd, Bangor, (b) general surgery at Bridgend and (c) elective orthopaedics at Rhydlafar.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : The orthopaedic treatment centre, Rhydlafar, was the only centre to become operational during 1989. One additional consultant was appointed.
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what lengths of contracts were given to the consultant surgeons employed in the treatment centres in (a) ophthalmology at Ysbyty Gwynedd, Bangor, (b) general surgery at Bridgend and (c) elective orthopaedics at Rhydlafar.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : The Department has contracts with the host district health authorities for the provision of treatment at the treatment centres. Contracts for individual members of staff are the management responsibility of those host health authorities.
Employment Training
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish the number of employment training places for each of the counties of Wales in 1990-91 and 1991-92, indicating the difference over the years by number and by percentage.
Mr. David Hunt : Information on the number of ET places provided for each of the Welsh counties in 1990-91 and 1991-92 is not available. The Government now fund each training and enterprise council for employment training according to the number of training weeks delivered, and the outputs achieved. It is for TECs to determine, in the light of local circumstances, how many places to purchase.
Residential Homes
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many residential homes for the elderly mentally infirm or very dependent he has visited in Wales.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett [holding answer 4 June 1991] : None, but I have recently visited a number of hospitals which have facilities for elderly mentally infirm patients, including Bronllys hospital, Brecon and Valley hospital, Anglesey.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Eye Surgery
Mr. McGrady : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the current waiting time before a patient receives an operation for cataracts at the Royal Victoria hospital, Belfast.
Mr. Hanley : Waiting times vary from two to three weeks for urgent cases to over two years for a few non-urgent cases.
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Mr. McGrady : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people are currently on the waiting list for cataract operations at the Royal Victoria hospital, Belfast.Mr. Hanley : The estimated number of patients is 2,900.
Fair Employment Commission
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many new members of staff have been appointed to the Fair Employment Commission since 1 January 1991 ; and how many of them were (a) Protestants, (b) Roman Catholics and (c) other religions.
Mr. Needham : The commission has declared its intention to make monitoring information available on a yearly basis. To make such information available more frequently and covering shorter periods could infringe the confidentiality requirements of the Fair Employment Acts by disclosing the religious beliefs of identifiable individuals.
Cost Limits
Mr. John Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement about the 1991-92 running cost limit for the Northern Ireland Office and the Northern Ireland Departments.
Mr. Brooke : The running cost limit for 1991-92 for the Northern Ireland Office and the Northern Ireland Departments is £652.6 million. Details of the provision for individual Northern Ireland Departments are set out in the Northern Ireland estimates which were laid before the House today.
Strangford Lough
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proposals he has for the participation in the management of Strangford lough of persons owning land along the lough shore.
Mr. Needham [holding answer 10 June 1991] : On 6 June 1991, the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland issued a consultation paper on the future management structure for Strangford lough and on a marine nature reserve. It is being circulated widely. Officials will arrange meetings to explain the proposals further. The proposed management structure would comprise an executive committee of representatives of bodies with statutory powers in the area and of an advisory committee representing local interests. These will include lough shore land owners and other local residents, lough-users and conservationists. The closing date for comments on the consultation paper is 18 October 1991. The Department will then produce a policy document.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Drugs Offences
Ms. Richardson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many women are serving sentences in British prisons under section 3 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 ; and how many of these are deportees.
Mrs. Rumbold : On 30 June 1990, a provisional figure of about 320 females were serving sentences for all types of
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drugs offences in prison service establishments. The only readily available information on the types of drug offences does not separately identify males and females. It is published annually in Prison Statistics England and Wales (table 1(a) of the latest volume, for 1989, Cm. 1221), copies of which are in the Library. Information on whether they were liable for deportation on completion of sentence is not available centrally.Electoral Arrangements
Mr. Rooker : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Paisley, South (Mr. McMaster) of 14 May, Official Report, columns 71-72, if he will set out the minimum notice which the proposed advertising campaign for information regarding absent voting will give to electors ; and if he will make a statement on discussions he has held with electoral registration officers on this matter.
Mrs. Rumbold : In the unlikely event that Parliament was dissolved on the same day as that on which a general election was announced, the proposed advertisements would appear in newspapers on a Wednesday, and applications for an absent vote would have to be returned by the following Monday. On past experience, however, electors will probably have about 12 days' notice in which to apply for an absent vote. The proposed campaign will be similar to one which ran before the 1987 general election and will take account of comments received from electoral registration officers following that campaign.
Mr. Rooker : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set out in summary the information he has on procedures for absent voting at general elections in member states of the European Community outlining criteria used for registration of absent voting for various grounds such as (a) ill health, (b) employment, (c) absence from home and (d) overseas residence.
Mrs. Rumbold : I shall write to the hon. Member.
Age of Consent
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the ages of consent for heterosexual men and women and homosexual men and women in Britain and in each of the European countries, East and West.
Mr. John Patten : We do not have the full information requested, but I refer the hon. Member to my letter of4 June to my hon. Friend the Member for Battersea (Mr. Bowis), a copy of which has been placed in the Library. This gives details of the ages of consent in European Community states.
Domestic Violence
Ms. Richardson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many men received a custodial sentence for domestic violence in the latest year for which figures are available ; and what was the average length of sentence ;
(2) how many incidents of domestic violence were reported in the last year for which figures are available ; and how many resulted in (a) a charge, (b) a prosecution and (c) a conviction.
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Mr. John Patten : Information collected centrally on court proceedings is not in sufficient detail to distinguish offences of domestic violence from other violent offences. Some information on domestic violence as a component of offences of violence against the person is given in the Home Office Research Bulletin 27, a copy of which is in the Library.Asylum Seekers
Sir Russell Johnston : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to consult non-governmental organisations about the reform of arrangements for asylum seekers.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : We are in regular contact with organisations active in the asylum field and their views will be taken into account in the Government's continuing review of their arrangements. If decisions are taken with direct implications for outside organisations they will, of course, be discussed with them.
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